Banks, Bankes, Bancks Families (U.S.)

...site maintained by Ray Banks

This is a site created to promote exchange of information on all the Banks, Bankes and Bancks families of the U.S. I have an enormous collection of data pertaining to about 30,000 deceased Bankses of European ancestry who have lived in the U.S. I also keep a list of persons who are researching Banks families. This is a free site -- no charge.

I regret that the time constraints of this project prevent me from compiling information on Bankses in other countries or on African American Banks families at the present.

As part of this project, detailed biographies are being typed for each person. This compilation will total about 10,000 pages in several years. It will then be microfilmed and distributed to assure preservation. I will gladly send you available biographies of persons in your ancestral line (over the Internet) -- no charge.

As of August, 1999, the pages for
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Dist. Columbia, Florida,
Hawaii, Idaho, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada,
New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island,
South Dakota, Utah, Vermont and Wyoming
have been finished.

During the next few months of 1999 the following states will be typed:
Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Oklahoma.
...And work will then begin on California, Colorado, Maine, Oregon, Texas and Washington.

Also, I will gladly type up biographies within other states for persons in your ancestral line if they are not currently typed. However, these biographies may not be as complete as those of the states that are finished.

Included in the biographies are available data from census entries, draft cards, state and local records, cemetery records, Civil War records, state vital records certificates, etc. -- all documented. Also included is other biographical information as I have been able to obtain it.

I am always grateful to receive additional information from you to supplement the information from public records. Bible entries are particularly useful. I'm sorry I cannot get involved in allied families other than with the information on the spouses of Bankses and their parents-in-law and immediate children. By sending me information on deceased Bankses you are agreeing to allow the information to be disseminated to the public, and you understand you will not receive payment for this.

Sample Mississippi biographies have been posted and can be viewed using the following link: Mississippi Index <-click here to go there
This version of Mississippi biographies is not the most current one, and I will gladly send you updated Mississippi biographies if requested.

I have also begun to post names and dates to the Gendex database -- over 20,000 have been posted. This database will be updated periodically. To view the Banks names there, use the following link:
Banks Gendex search <-click here to go there

A few of the names at Gendex have been posted by persons other than myself.

When writing me, please indicate you are writing from the Banks web site. Also please provide some estimated birth dates and locations of residence for the persons you are interested in, briefly listing the persons in your ancestral line all the way to the person(s) you are interested in. If the Banks name is very common (John, William, Mary, Elizabeth), additional information may be needed.

Please, please do NOT send files or pictures to me unless I have indicated ahead of time that my software can read these. Pictures will not be included in the compiled biographies.

If you do send me new information about Bankses that is missing from the biographies, documentation of the source of each date would be most appreciated -- if possible. All major genealogical societies are encouraging reseachers to properly document all sources for dates and locations. Events prior to 1900 tend to be recorded with imprecise dates so sources are needed to determine which date is likely more accurate than others.

Here are a few examples of source documentation:
Bible of Hezekiah Smith owned by Mary Barnes of Enid, OK
Hinds Co., MS Marriage Bk Y, p 32. LDS reel 13423211.
Tombstone in Cedar Lawn cemetery read by Ed Barnes Jan 1999
Personal knowledge of Larry Schmidt of Los Angeles, CA
Death certificate # 45738, Minnesota, 1956

I live in Las Vegas, Nevada and am descended from Adam Bankes who lived in Stafford Co., Virginia in the late 1600s. Part of the year is spent in Salt Lake City gathering additional data from the large collection there.

To reach me by e-mail, click here -> rayhbanks@aol.com

Ray Banks